Machine for sealing cans



March 14, 1933. SEBELL 1,901,266

MACHINE FOR SEALING CANS Filed July 11, 1930 Fig.1.

\nVSHTO JZLZQiZ/ ZLM Patented Mar. 14, 1933 SEBELL, 0F BOSTON, MASS AC H' Q'SETTS, ASSIGNOB T0 LEXINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS FOR SEALING- GAN Application filed July 11,

This invention relates to a can-sealing machine and particularly to a sealing machine of the type adapted to seal a can witha U- shaped sealing strip which embra es a flange on the can cover and engages the can body. The invention is particularly applicable to sealing a can of this type which has a socalled slip-on cover, that is, a cover which is provided with a depending skirt that embraces the top portionof the can body.

An object of the invention is to provide a novel can-sealing machine which is constructed so that a pressure will be applied to the portion of the can cover which overlies the upper edge of the can body simultaneously with the application of the pressure to the sealing strip to seal the can. With this arrangement the cover will be subjected .to'a progressive pressure which will cause it to conform to the upper edge of the can body thereby producing'a better seal. I In order to give-an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawing a selected embodiment thereof which. will now be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims. 1 V

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view of the sealing elements of a can-sealing mae chine embodyingmy inventionand showing the parts in inoperative position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the operation of-sealing the can;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary section on the line 33, Fig. 1. Y

The invention is herein shown as applied to a can-sealing .machine of the typeshown in my Patents No. 1,605,147, dated November 2, 1926 and 1,773,758, dated August 26, 1930, and inasmuch as the invention relates to the means for applying pressure to the portion of the can cover which overlies the top edge of the can while the sealing strip is being sealed tothe can, I havenot thought it necessary to illustrate the complete machine buthave shown only so much thereof as is required to enable the inventionto be understood. 7 V o The can to be sealed is indicated at Land 2 sth can wve ith s b ns e lip-oi 1930. Serial No. 467,177.

variety portion 3 which encircles the upper end of sealing flange 4i and said cover is sealed to h an ro gh the m di m o Uvshaped sealing strip 5 which embraces the sealing flange 4 of the cover and hic un e ies an annularsealing shoulder 6 with which the can body is provided. r

During the application of the U-shaped sealing strip to the can for sealing the latter the can body lis supported on a rotary platform 7 and thefcan cover isheld in position by a rotary head 8, thecan and cover being held between said platform 7 and head 8. It will be understood that the platform and head .8 are movable toward and from each other to permit the can to -.beinserted or removed. a 1

The sealing of the sealing strip to the can cover and can is accomplished through the medium of a freely rotatablesealing ring 9 co-operating with a driven sealing wheel 10 as shown and described in my above-mentioned patents.

The rotatable ring 9 is mountedin a frame portion 11 and is freely rotatable therein. The inner edge thereof is shaped to fit the annular groove 12 formed inthe exterior of the canbody and by which the sealing shoulder 6 is formed andthe opening ,throughthe ring is of large enough diameter to permit the canto be moved upward y therethrough into the positionshown in Fig. 1 as theplatform 7 is raised. V

The sealing wheel 10 is carriedby a dri-yen shaft l3 which is not only rotatable but which can move vertically, and normally the sealing wheel is in its raised position with relation to the sealing ring 9 shownin Fig. 1. i

In the operation of applying the sealing strip 5 a can is placed on the platform 7 and the latter then rises'to carry the can up through the opening in the ring 9 at which time a can cover 2is applied tothecan and the assembled can cover -and canboclyare held between the platform 7 and head 8 as shownin Fig. 2. At thistime the framed; and the shaft 13 move laterally into the in that: it is provided with a skirt Anrnun. nxresexna,

the can. The can cover is provided witha At this time I Wardly to bring the sealing wheel into its I the sealing ring 9 will operative position shown infull lines Fig. 2 and in this position said sealing wheel cooperates With the sealing ring 9 to clamp the sealing strip 5 firmly about the sealing flange 4.

V Theshaft 13 is positively driven and slnce the sealing wheel 10 is fast on the shaft 13' said sealing wheel will thus be positively rotated. During this rotation the can and beturned about their respective axes and the sealing strip will be clamped to the sealing flange 4 and firmly against the shoulder 6. i

In sealing a can of this type which has a so-oalled slip-on cover it is desirable that the portion 14 of the cover which overlies the top edge 15 of the can body should conform closely to the shape of the top. edge and should be compressed firmly thereagainst.

In order to accomplish this I have provided a presser roller which is associated with the sealing wheel and which applies pressure to the can cover along the portion 14 thereof as thestrip is sealedto the can, this operation resulting in causing the portion 14 of the can cover to conform accurate- 1y to the top edgeof the can. This presser roll is indicated at 16' and is in the nature of a roll situated axially of the sealing roll 10 but freely rotatable relative thereto.

As herein shown the sealing roll 10 is formed with an axial recess-17 in which the presser roll 16 is received, said presser roll being'in the form of a sleeve. The presser roll is retained in position by means of a retaining sleeve 18 which is screw threaded to the reduced end 190f the shaft 13. The sleeve 18 has the head portion 20 which engages the end of the roll 16 and retains it in place. If desired, a ball or thrust bearing 21 may be interposed between the rear end of the presser roll 16 and the bottom of the recess 17.

When the device is in operation the presser roll 16 will engage the portion 14 of the can cover at the same time that the sealing roll 10 is'acti'ng on the sealing strip 5 and as the can is rotatedthe roll 16 will press the portion '14 of the can cover firmly against the top edge 15 of the can thereby causing this portion of the can cover to conform accurately to the top edge of the can either on the top edge 15 of the can body or in the groove of the can cover which fits against the top edge of the can body and the pressure of the presser roll 16 against the can cover serves to compress the sealing compound firmly between the can cover and the top edge of the can body.

Since the sealing of the U-shaped sealing strip to the sealing flange 4 of the cover occurs simultaneously with the application of pressure on the portion 14 of the cover and since this pressure is carried progressively around the can cover as the sealing strip is sealed tothe flange 4 the can cover will be caused to conform accurately tothe can body and a perfectse'al will result.

In actual practice I propose to make the sealing wheel 10 and the presser roll. 16 of such relativesizes that the radial distance between the periphery of the presser roll and sealing wheel will be no greater than, and preferably very slightly less than, the distance between the sealing flange 4 and the portion 14 of the coverso that when the sealingwheel 10 is pressing firmly against the upper leg of the sealing strip 5 the presser roll 16 will be bearing with considerable pressure against the portion 14 ofthe cover. Because of this relationship the portion 14 of the cover will notonlybe pressed firmly against and caused to conform to the top edge 15 of the can body but the longerleg of the sealing strip 5 will be caused to engage firmly against the shoulder 6 thereby making a very effective seal.

I claim. Y

1. Ina can-sealing machine for sealing a can cover to a can body with a U-shaped sealing strip, the combination with'two rotatable sealing members between which the U-shaped sealing strip passes and by which said sealing strip is applied to the can cover and can body, one of said sealing members being in the form of'a wheel, of a presser roll situated axially of the sealing wheel and rotatable relative thereto and arranged to act on the portion of the can cover which overlies the edge of the can body.

2. In a can-sealing machine for sealing a can cover to a can body by means of a U- shaped sealing strip, the'combination with two rotatable sealing members between which the sealing strip passes and which co.- operate to ap-plythe strip to the can cover and can body, one of said members being in the form of a wheel and adapted to act on the upper leg of the sealing strip, of a presser roll freely rotatable relative to the wheel and situated coaxially with said wheel and adapted to'act on and'apply pressure to the portion of the can cover which overlies the top edge of the can as the sealmg strip is applied.

In a can-sealing machine for sealing a capable of free rotation with respect thereto, said presser roll being arranged to apply pressure to the portion of the cover overlying the edge of the can as the sealing strip is applied.

4. In a can-sealing machine for sealing to a can body a can cover provided with a skirt which fits over the top portion of the can and has a laterally-extending sealing flange at the lower edge of'the skirt and at a distance below'the top edge of the can body, the combination with two rotatable sealing members for applying a U-shaped sealing strip to theflange of the cover and to the can body, of a rotatable presser member having a rotative movement independent of that of the sealing members for applying pressure cover which overlies the top edge of the can simultaneously with the operation of the sealing members in applying the sealing strip. 7

5. In a can-sealing machine for sealing to a can body a can cover provided with a skirt which fits over the top portion of the can, and a laterally-extending sealing flange below the top of the can, the combination with two rotatable sealing members for applying a U-shaped sealing strip to the flange of the cover, one of said members being in the form of a sealing roll which acts on the upper leg of the sealing strip, of a presser roll situated co-axially with the sealing roll and adapted to act on the portion of the can cover which overlies the top edge of the can thereby to cause said portion to conform to the top edge of the can.

6. In a can-sealing machine for sealing to a can body a can cover provided with a skirt which fits over the top portion of the can and a laterally-extendingsealing flange, the combination with'two rotatable sealing members for applying a -U-shaped sealing strip to the flange of the cover, one of said members being in the form of a sealing roll which acts on the vupper leg of the sealing strip, of a presser roll carried by the sealing roll and freely rotatable with respect thereto and adapted to act on the portion of the can cover which overlies t e top edge of the can body thereby to cause the same to con of the sealing strip, of a freeto the portion of the can form to and be pressed tightly against said top edge.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

HARRY SEBELL. 

